Shockingly interesting food for a diner. Lots of great Asian inspired offerings. Even the décor got a nice glow up. Though now it feels a bit out of place given all of its neighbors. Fire Chicken Fondue: Such an unexpected treat for diner food! Tteokbokki, kimchi, gochujang, tender dark meat chicken and lots of cheese. Felt like I was at some Korean drinking establishment that also served drinking food. It had a good spicy kick too, so I didn't inhale the food all at once but took my time. Served with a little rice on the side, but honestly with the tteokbokki didn't really need more carbs. Spicy Rosé Pasta w/ Garlic Shrimp: Followed the waiter's recommendation and was quite pleased. Looks like a typical creamy tomato pasta, but has such a nice spicy umami kick. Adds an exciting dimension to an already great dish. Only like 5 shrimp though, so not the most filling dish. Chicken Cobb Salad: HUGE for a salad. Lots of nice non-veggie bits like chicken, bleu cheese crumbles, bacon and creamy ranch. The veggies weren't bad either, kinda like farmers market quality instead of the typical Sysco vendor food that many diners buy. Butterfly Lemonade: So pretty with the multiple colors and flowers. But you're supposed to mix it all together, so that doesn't last. Tastes like fruity lemonade. Refreshing.

Came in on a Thursday around 5:20pm without a reservation. The restaurant was about 40% full. By the time we left it was 90% full. So best to make a reservation. Being so close to the Orpheum Theatre, I guess they get a lot of business from the cast members so they have all these musical posters signed by them on the wall which is cool to see. They were out of the octopus salad and the tri-tip sandwich. We ordered a non alcoholic drink called, Nessarose - $6.50. It was refreshing and unique. It had grapefruit and some other flavors which I forgot. They had this other drink with blueberry and prickly pear in it which sounds interesting to try for next time. We also ordered the fish and chips - $22.00. I found the coleslaw a bit too sweet. Although they were generous with the fries, it was not crispy. However the batter on the fish was light and crunchy. The tartar sauce was great. Lastly we ordered the lamb chops - $28.00. It was tender and flavorful but I didn't like the pesto on the mashed potatoes as there was too much fat from the lamb chops already. The lamb chops alone were very tasty. Service was meh. We had to flag down a staff to take our order. No one checked in on us but the food came out within 10 minutes of ordering which was speedy.

I absolutely Love Sam's!! Had an unfortunate ketchup incident, but that did not keep me from coming back! Excellent food, vibe and staff!! Tried a few items on the menu and this week they have a Wicked menu!! The dessert was amazing!!

My second time dining here since change in ownership. Hubby hasn't been back since the days when we sat in late Mayor Lee's favorite booth. The place has been nicely renovated with very attentive and nice staff. We tried items off the lunch menu before our theater show. The Korean chicken wings were our favorite. The 3 bulgogi beef tacos were tasty too. Next time I'll try the fried fish tacos. We thought the Kim Chee fried rice was OK but have had better. The short grain rice were a bit firm, al dente. Definitely plan to be back if we have a show at nearby theaters. Neighborhood is so run down, cracked sidewalk, reeking of urine every block you walk, store fronts closed long before the pandemic started and what looks like drug dealing on corners. You have to walk to the Muni stations with your eyes wide open.

Update on my previous review! I always stop here for my pre-show meals when the show is at the Orpheum. The food never disappoints, the menu is varied, and it's just a few yards from the theater. This time we came in for brunch since we were going to a matinee; previously, I'd only come for dinner. I ordered the Korean chicken wings with the rice cakes in sweet and spicy sauce. It was delicious and certainly looked spicier than it was. One reason for ordering this was so I wouldn't have any leftovers since food is not allowed to be taken into the theater. Despite my plan, there were 6 huge wings, so it took a bit to eat them all; could've shared at least two of them with others and still had enough! My dining companions had the chicken cobb salad, the grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup, and a breakfast plate with the usual eggs and bacon (no picture since it's so common). Everyone enjoyed what they ordered. It seems that the prices are relatively high, but it's expensive to run a restaurant, especially in SF! Wait staff is great, so definitely points for that!

Had an excellent pre-theater meal here the other night, before the Mrs. Doubtfire musical. The decor is great, with signed movie bills from various productions that have come through (just the Orpheum Theater, I guess). The menu for the night was great too. I guess they customize the menus for the shows that are playing. So our menu had some items with custom names calling out Mrs. Doubtfire elements (e.g. "Miranda" burger) We made reservations, which are essential if you want to get in for a pre-theater meal. I had the Fried Chicken Sandwich, with onion rings. WOW! The chicken is different from others I've had in fried chicken sandwiches. I think it's very Asian focused. It's a chicken thigh, and the seasonings remind me very much of Chinese fried chicken (5-spice seasoning, prob). The coleslaw on the sandwich is not overly mayo-ed, so it was really good. The onion rings were fantastic. Onion didn't pull out of the batter. Rings were nice and crisp, not at all soggy. My husband had the Tri-Tip French Dip with a side salad. The meat was tender, the au jus wasn't too salty. Side salad had a good lettuce mix, and just the right size. Highly recommend for a pre-theater meal!

Another pretty good meal at this place. I had the rosé pasta and added shrimp, but it was really tasty that it doesn't really need a protein. The lava cake came hot, with ice cream on the side and was also quite good. The service was again great, everyone's attentive and friendly. Ambiance was a bit too loud, but not bad.

Great place for dinner near the Orpheum Theater! They have a bunch of show posters on the walls and a great vibe to get pumped up for a show with friends/family We have a reservation for a party of 3 at 5:45 and we're running late from traffic... called them and they were so sweet with everything. The hostess made me feel brighter when I walked in and was super nice. The cocktails were amazing.

SAMS is a great stop if you are headed to A.C.T. or Orpheum theater if you want some delicious food nearby in case you're running behind while enjoying it. It can take 20-30 minutes to get a table, but staff is hustling to get the table turned over in a non-pushy way. They are busting out food and drinks quickly and even have a few tables outside (approx 5 small tables). Inside it is a skinny, long galley with tables on either side of the walking path and two gender neutral bathrooms in the back. My mama got the yogurt. She's been on a granola hunt and said it was delicious. It had mixed berries on top and banana. She doesn't like bananas, so it would have been nice to know that on the menu, but she may have missed it. I got the stuffed French toast with whiskey maple syrup, and it was a perfect balance of sweet and not too sweet along with a caramel latte. We were in an out in approx 50 min, including the 20 min wait and on our way to the theater.

Restaurant smelled funky like old building smell when I walked in but I either got used to it or the food overpowered the smell so I stopped noticing it. Came on a Thursday before watching Hairspray. I didn't tell them, but they made sure they were very speedy with the drinks, food, and check to make sure we can get to our show on time. They got this down! I loved our server as well, she gave some good recs and was very pleasant and frieindly. I got a blueberry mojito which was unique and refreshing! I was surpirsed there was so much Korean food on the menu for being called an "American" eatery in the restaurant name. But I love Asian food so it worked well for me. We split the Korean fried chicken wings as an appetizer which I thought was flavored well and had good crunch texture. I got the fish and chips which was huge. I struggled finishing it all. The coleslaw was refreshing. There were way too many fries! Luckily I had friends to help me. The fish was tender and soft. I tried some of my friends' truffle mac & cheese and kimchi fried rice and they were all delicious! I want to come back to try their brunch!